Sophisticated. Lavish. Intimate.
These are the three words that would best describe our Sunday Brunch at Rumari, the signature restaurant of Raffles Bali.
Located at the hill above Jimbaran Bay, Raffles Bali is the go-to property for the most luxurious stay in South Bali. When I learned about their bi-weekly Sunday Brunch, I am curious to find out about the experience.
Being personally greeted by the hotel staffs and Katya, the General Manager, we started our gastro journey with the mixologist creation, Loloh, as our welcome drink. We were then whisked away to our table at the indoor section of Rumari Restaurant.
The whole brunch is basically a fine dining experience but with unlimited orders. You have a table side presentation which is passed around, but also curated ala-carte menu selection which you can choose as you wish.
After ordering our first 2 courses (Tuna and Grilled Scallop), three amouse bouche was passed around as our starters. The first was a tartar mix. The second was a fritter. But the third took the stage completely; a chef’s creation of steamed fish simmered with passion fruit jus and topped by jalapeno and caviar. It looked and tasted amazing, a fine mix of tangy and herbs.
Just look how it was presented to us!
Having just finished the three amouse bouche, our mains were ready to be served. Both were good, though personally the scallop was definitely the highlight.
After the seafood, we went for the land territory. I ordered foie gras, heritage pork, and wagyu.
And just like before, none of them dissapoint. Foei gras was soft and tasted great. Heritage pork (sourced from original Bali pigs which is the black-dotted type) had a nice sweet and savory touch into it.
Then, when I tasted the wagyu, my facial expression clearly changed because it was tender, juicy and really tasted amazing.
Part of Rumari’s experience is the fact that the chefs would go to each table and explained the meals and the restaurant’s philosophies. He was right at the table when I gave “that“ face, and he smiled.
“The wagyu is indeed our guests favorite”, he claimed. I am with the majority on this.
He explained that Rumari follows the philosophy of the resort; the main theme is locally produced sustainable resource. Just like how Raffles Resort bring together the best of Bali, from its wood, structures, and furnish, Rumari Restaurant focus to bring the best Indonesia’s local produce in all of its menu.
The next two table side show clearly demonstrates that, and even surprised me.
The first: Cheese Galore!
And oh my, how shocked was I when I learn that all these cheese are locally produced in Indonesia.
9 different cheese; from soft to hard, all in European style but locally produced from Java and other parts of Indonesia.
And to add to that, they have many condiments and 3 honeys to choose. My favorite is the clove-infused honey, a totally new taste I’ve never tried before.
The second: Arak Twist!
Arak Bali is a traditional alcoholic beverage which can be found in every corner of the island. Rumari takes this to another level, with infusion of various fruits and herbs, and serving it on the rocks.
The rocks were not just ordinary ice. They used locally-grown edible flowers and iced them inside each crystal clear cube. This intrigued me so much; it is the first time I have ever seen something like that!
By this point, my stomach was at the limit. But, there was still the final course of the day; desserts.
The Sunday brunch comes with variety of table-side desserts which were all personally explained by the pastry chef. They all looked tantalizing!
And finally, a plated dessert that I ordered made a fine ending to this magnificent brunch.
It was 4pm already when we finished and the sky started to change into a lighter color hue. So, I thought, why not spend a little more time to enjoy this lovely oasis.
A sunday done right, and we look forward to returning here again.
Love
Michelle Budianto
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